Memorial service time for healing, forgiveness

Updated 8:39 am, Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Photo: LM Otero, Associated Press

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Dallas Cowboys football player Josh Brent, center in light shirt, embraces an unknown person as they arrive for a memorial service for teammate Jerry Brown at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Dallas. Brown died in a suspected drunken-driving accident on Saturday. Brent was the driver and is charged with intoxication manslaughter. (AP Photo/LM Otero) less

Dallas Cowboys football player Josh Brent, center in light shirt, embraces an unknown person as they arrive for a memorial service for teammate Jerry Brown at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, ... more

Photo: LM Otero, Associated Press

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A security guard holds the door open to the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship education center as an unidentified person walks in carrying a Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Brown jersey before a memorial service Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Dallas. Brown died in a suspected drunken-driving accident on Saturday. Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent was the driver and is charged with intoxication manslaughter. (AP Photo/LM Otero) less

A security guard holds the door open to the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship education center as an unidentified person walks in carrying a Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Brown jersey before a memorial service Tuesday, Dec. ... more

Photo: LM Otero, Associated Press

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Dallas Cowboys' Mike Jenkins, left, and Jay Ratliff, right, leave a memorial service for practice squad member Jerry Brown at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Dallas. Brown died in a suspected drunken-driving accident on Saturday. Josh Brent, a teammate, was the driver and is charged with intoxication manslaughter. (AP Photo/LM Otero) less

Dallas Cowboys' Mike Jenkins, left, and Jay Ratliff, right, leave a memorial service for practice squad member Jerry Brown at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, in Dallas. Brown died in a ... more

DALLAS — Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent stands accused of killing teammate Jerry Brown in a fiery drunk-driving accident, but the mother of the deceased practice-squad linebacker refuses to view him as anything but her son's best friend.

Stacey Jackson made that clear with her actions before, during and after the memorial service for her son Tuesday afternoon.

In a striking display of forgiveness, Brent and Jackson arrived together at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in South Dallas. They also sat in the same row during the hour-long service and left together.

According to the Cowboys' website, Jackson spoke to the team, encouraging it to support Brent. The massive player was charged with intoxication manslaughter after Irving police say he lost control early Saturday morning of his speeding 2007 Mercedes with Brown as a passenger.

The private tribute on a sunny but chilly day was closed to the media.

“We won't have any comment because of the sanctity of the service,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said afterward.

But during his radio show Tuesday morning, Jones said Jackson requested Brent meet her and her family at the airport so they could ride together to the memorial after they arrived from St. Louis on the owner's private jet.

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“What happened is so tragic,” Jones told KRLD-FM. “But (Jackson) wanted to be right with Josh and to express in every way she could how much they loved him and didn't want to have him grieve for his friend without being included in their family.”

Brent, 24, and Brown, 25, were teammates and roommates at Illinois from 2007-09. When Dallas signed Brown, he began rooming again with Brent.

Brown played for the Arena Football League's San Antonio Talons before being signed by Indianapolis in May. The Cowboys signed Brown after the Colts cut him in October.

“Josh was elated when Jerry came on the team,” Jones said.

In an appearance on CNN's “Piers Morgan Tonight” on Monday, Jackson explained why she has embraced Brent.

“I was upset, but I realized our youth today are young and stupid, and we were all once that age, and we've all done things we're not proud of,” Jackson said, per YahooSports.com.

“I realized everyone thinks they're invincible, and everyone thinks, ‘It's not going to happen to me.' I know Josh Brent, and he's been part of our family since Jerry went to Illinois. All I can do is to pray for him and his family. I know (Brent) is hurting just as much as we are, because (he) and Jerry were like brothers.”

Free on $500,000 bail and with his right hand wrapped in a white bandage, Brent wore a white long-sleeved shirt and gray pants to the memorial, where Brown's framed No. 53 Cowboys jersey was displayed. In what was surely an emotional moment, Jackson received the football coach Jason Garrett posthumously awarded Brown after Dallas rallied to defeat Cincinnati on Sunday.

The program for the memorial had a picture of DeMarcus Ware carrying Brown's jersey onto the field Sunday after Dan Bailey kicked the winning field goal as time expired.

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See a photo gallery of the memorial service for linebacker Jerry Brown.

Two buses transported some players, coaches and club staffers to the service. Others, including Tony Romo and his wife Candice, arrived in their own cars.

Jay Ratliff was visibly emotional, holding his hands to his face for several seconds.

Even though he was with the Cowboys only a short time, Brown had an effect, Garrett said Monday.

“He had really bright eyes, a great smile,” Garrett said. “He was very passionate about football, and that's one of the things we really liked about him. He poured it all out there every day. I wrote in my notes several times: Jerry Brown, exclamation point, give this guy a chance.”

The memorial came on the same day a story appeared in the Dallas Morning News about a witness to the accident who said she had to beg Brent to intervene as Brown screamed for help.

Stacee McWilliams, 40, of Irving, said she repeatedly pleaded with Brent to rescue Brown from the Mercedes, which was upside-down and on fire around 2 a.m. on the service road of State Highway 114.

“Jerry was alive. He was hurt. He was calling out, and his own friend walked away,” McWilliams told the newspaper.